Techgirlz Charitable Foundation Receives Ebay Foundation Grant for After School Program Development

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Grant to help organization continue to engage young girls in technology and identify possible careers in the field

“TechGirlz is one of the few programs in the nation targeting middle school girls because we know that if we want to get more women working in technology, we need to change their perception early.”

PHILADELPHIA, PA (PRWEB)February 04, 2013

Techgirlz Charitable Foundation, an organization committed to teaching middle schools girls to embrace the power of technology through hands on workshops, announced today that is has been awarded a $5,000 grant from the eBay Foundation Corporate Advised Fund at Silicon Valley Community Foundation. The grant was recommended by eBay Foundations’ employee-volunteer led King of Prussia GIVE Team. Funds will be used to develop tech-based curriculum for future workshops and after school programs.

TechGirlz will be using the grant to develop three after school programs and workshops. The grant also will be used to pay for a teacher to vet the curriculum, as it will be used again in the future, not only for its organization, but also for other groups to use. TechGirlz plans to expand the number of curricula developed every year.

“TechGirlz is one of the few programs in the nation targeting middle school girls because we know that if we want to get more women working in technology, we need to change their perception early,” said Tracey Welson-Rossman, Founder of TechGirlz Charitable Foundation. “We believe that with more funding we can help more girls learn how they can take part and benefit from the technology economy. We have already seen how our programs can transform these girls’ lives by making them more confident in how they can work with technology.”

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, women made up 21 percent of all programmers in 2010, down from 24 percent in 2000. Additionally, women are starting half of the nearly 10 million businesses expected by 2018, but those founding tech-based businesses are a tiny fraction. Reversing these trends requires girls are engaging in technology early and identifying the possibilities for their careers.

The TechGirlz grant was made possible in part through eBay Foundation’s GIVE team program, which empowers employees of eBay, Inc. to support their communities through volunteerism and employee-sponsored grants. In 2011 alone, GIVE teams worldwide recommended 160 nonprofits to receive grants totaling more than $625,000.

“eBay Foundation was established to reach beyond the boundaries of eBay’s virtual village to develop strong communities that bring people together,” Lauren More, President of eBay Foundation. “Through our GIVE teams, we’ve been able to identify and support a wide variety of outstanding programs, that feed families in the San Francisco Bay area, educate children in India, assist seniors in Germany, mentor at-risk youth in Omaha, and serve the homeless in Austin – to name only a few. We could not be happier to add to our list of beneficiaries by supporting TechGirlz Charitable Foundation in its efforts to increase the number of girls interested in technology.

About TechGirlz
TechGirlz is here to inspire young women to shatter the statistics. Our aim is to help adolescent girls understand that a future in technology does not necessarily equate to “a boring computer job,” but instead transcends the cubicle into nearly every field imaginable. By encouraging women to participate in science and technology today, as well as providing a solid foundation of peers, mentors, and positive role models, we hope to spark innovation, exhilaration, and motivation in young women to become tomorrow’s tech leaders. http://www.TechGirlz.org

ABOUT EBAY FOUNDATION
eBay Foundation was established by eBay, Inc. in 1998 and, reflecting eBay innovation, was the first corporate foundation to be endowed with pre-IPO stock. Since inception, the Foundation has contributed more than $23 million to nonprofit organizations worldwide. The Foundation engages eBay Inc, employees and supports their pursuit of charitable giving and volunteerism through its GIVE team program. In addition, using a unique combination of foundation funding, employee volunteerism, and other resources eBay Foundation has created The Opportunity Project to extend the company’s commitment to global citizenship. By scaling social innovations that create economic opportunity. The Opportunity Project gives people in need the chance to participate in the global economy, provide for their families, and build stronger communities. For more information: http://www.theopportunityproject.org. eBay Foundation GIVE Team grants are awarded by the eBay Foundation Corporate Advised Fund at Silicon Community Foundation.